1. Describe situations when doctrinal concepts have helped you clarify the decisions you make as a teacher.

• eg. Lord has a plan: remembering this has allowed me to not panic about a difficult student
• eg.There is a heaven: when family members die, when someone in bible dies (eg Lord), all children should go to heaven, my students love learning everything about heaven
• order is essential to an effective classroom
• order prevents distraction and supports instruction
• form follows function is an important concept for helping students to understand the natural world
• individual assignments vs group projects - which is more "charitable", particularly for the poorer student?
• doctrinal concepts are behind everything we do - class management, methods we use, what we teach
• the concept of spiritual freedom being maintained by the Lord, choices, choices
• the concept that we are a process in spiritual development - need patience where students are concerned
• the balance of order and mercy - the need for order and to be clear with written context of a caring relationship
• keeping in mind "what is good for the student" from the Lord's perspective when I need to make a decision
• responding to student questions - eg. pets in heaven, homosexuality, other faiths, spiritism - always want it to connect to life in some way
• framing foundation for reaching out as a small school
• What is good for the group is good for the individual. What would Jesus do? Orderly. Micah 6:8. AC 3854.
• first do no harm
• these are the underlying motives to everything o do and think. They are present in everything I do and say.
• hiring choices for personnel
• prioritizing concepts; chosing what to teach
• chosing what behaviors are important to focus attention on
• deciding how to respond to student anecdotes that may not support NC behaviors
• the basic decision as to when to begin teaching certain concepts having to do with safety on the Internet
• In choosing literature or fieldtrips I have deferred to not rushing a state or over pushing or rushing a state in order to help preserve innocence
• I consult the home in discipline as I believe the home has primary responsibility in raising a child
• which infractions are serious?
• choosing literature and developing assignments to illustrate doctrinal concepts
• how to handle student problems - is it a moral or spiritual issue?
• choosing one evil to work on at a time
• choosing to allow or not allow students to speak, write (respond) in certain ways - balance of order and mercy
• divine revelation particularly applied to the Ten Commandments helps to give the foundation by which to teach. An example would be in classroom management
• overall, doctrinal concepts give one an "end in view" approach and some of those decisions are easier to come by. How to teach technology with doctrinal intent, spiritual freedom as a choice, concept of process of spiritual development, clarity, have order.

2. How might the school system support you in becoming even more successful at doing this?

• more opportunities to extend my understanding of NC teachings/concepts
• a better or more extensive mentoring program for non-New Church teachers - possibly incorporate them with non-New Church teachers/families
• continually supporting the ideas of experiential learning - out of the classroom opportunities/project-based learning
• provide for and encourage "hands-on" learning outside the traditional classroom
• continue to develop the GC curriculum, especially the connections between the broad goals and the content skills activities
• doctrinal studies - some with just teachers and some including parents
• study and shared conversation
• the work we did today in small groups was really helpful in identifying the major doctrinal themes that we work from. It would be helpful to have written material articulating these connections that we could make available to the system and build on
• it just comes by doing it - answering kid's questions
• allow me more time for professional development. Develop a GC schoolwide philosophy of teaching with and about technology
• spiritual freedom is a choice and a process. Order and a loving relationship is why we are teaching
• having someone to ask for advice
• in service like the Alden Model
• professional development and mentorship. Teaching FROM will take practice, ability and understanding to create an environment that will be seemless and effortless